Tag Archives: Observing commandments of God

by Guestspeaker | 2016/02/25 · 12:15 pm

Mishmash of a legal code but importance of mitzvah or commandments

Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild, working in England, writes

Interestingly while Judaism teaches that mitzvot are divinely ordained and therefore not to be questioned or even necessarily understood, it does at the same time try to explain them as a rational force, and many commentators suggest reasons for our doing them.

We are told: – “The essential reason for the commandments is to make the human heart upright” ( ibn Ezra on Deut 5:18); or “Each commandment adds holiness to the people of Israel.” (Issi ben Akavia, Mechilta on Ex 22:30); or even that “The purpose of the mitzvot is…to promote compassion, loving kindness and peace in the world” (Maimonides, yad, Shabbat) {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

The Covenant Confirmed, by John Steeple Davis (1844-1917), as in Exodus 24 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those who believe in the God of Abraham, should know that this God of gods has given the many commandments to help man find his way in this universe and to live in a proper peaceful relation with God’s creation.

The world has been given Mishpatim, which we may consider judgements by ‘laws’ or ‘rulings’ and they will govern the community who agree to accept them. But not all humans will accept them, that’s a fact. Also in the previous times people of God did not have it easy at all times with those Mishpatim, though just after Moses has finished relating all the various laws to the Children of Israel, we can see in the Old Testament how often those People of God went astray.

Moses Showing the Ten Commandments, by Gustave Doré (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Real lovers of God should agree “to do all the things that God has spoken” (Exodus 24:3). They should cling to the Word of God as the only Perfect Rule Giver and should go for keeping “miẓwah”, the divinely instituted rule of conduct. As such, the divine commandments are divided into (1) mandatory laws known as , and (2) those of a prohibitory character, the . This terminology rests on the theological construction that God’s will is the source of and authority for every moral and religious duty. Many of the old laws were given to and concerned only special classes of people, such as kings or priesthood, Levites or Nazarites, or are conditioned by local or temporary circumstances of the Jewish nation, as, for instance, the agricultural, sacrificial, and Levitical laws.

For us today some rules may be curious, and that is why at a certain moment in time some changes were allowed. It was not God Who changed, but the people who changed and God came closer to them by adapting His rulings. As such we may now face other food laws and about sanitation than at the early beginning, plus about how to relate to others, because certain concepts changed, like the position of slaves.

Torah scroll and silver pointer (yad) used in reading

Of the more than fifty mitzvot to be found in the sidra, we have some that deal with the treatment of slaves, with the crimes of murder and kidnap, with personal injury and with civil damages through neglect or theft. There are rules about witchcraft and idolatry, about oppression and unfair business practise, about applying legal codes in a prejudiced fashion and not giving false testimony; laws about not mistreating widows and orphans, and about care for animals. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

When we look at those laws and regulations we may not forget that many still keep going and should be fulfilled by a lover of God. It is not because we have Jesus as our Messiah who liberated us from the curse of Law that the Law has ended. No, not at all. The Law still counts. Even now we have received a New Covenant, should we keep to those law covered in that covenant.

Too many Christians commit a mistake by thinking they do not have to do any works any-more. We still have to keep the works of faith, keeping to God’s Commandments.

In parshat Mishpatim, the Israelites learn that accepting the commandments is a 24/7 job. {Parenting by the Parshah – Mishpatim}

We also must be fully aware of the most frequent mitzvah in Torah, given at least 37 different times in the text,which is repeated in the Mishpatim too –

“you shall not wrong a stranger or oppress them, for you were strangers in the land of Israel.”

It is a mishmash of a legal code but what comes through loud and clear to the reader is the importance to the Jewish people of mitzvot, commandments.

From Torah we see that for the ancient people there were particular reasons for observing the mitzvot – firstly and most importantly because God tells us to. Secondly there was in the ancient understanding an idea that people who obeyed them would be rewarded, and people who disobeyed risked punishment. Then there were two different types of reason given in Torah – that the mitzvot were intrinsically imbued with divine wisdom, and that they would lead us to achieving holiness. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

Each person who wants to become a Child of God, or to belong to God’s People shall have to resign oneself to the Will of God. But none can belong to the children of God when they do not accept others to be their brethren and sisters, and loving them as their siblings. The agape love for the others is a indispensible necessary part of belonging to God’s family.

In Judaism as in Christianity too there might be a tension in their tradition

– do we do the commandments (mitzvot) simply because there is a Commander (metzaveh) who told us to do this and this should be enough, or do we search out a meaning behind each mitzvah? And if we do the latter, what happens if we cannot find a suitable reason and meaning? Do we abandon the mitzvah as unreasonable or pointless? Or do we continue to do it in the hope that meaning will emerge? After all, at Sinai the people famously answered “na’aseh ve’nishma, [first] we will do it and [subsequently] we will understand”. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

The tension and balancing between holding a religious belief and a rationalist position was as great in the ancient world as it is today. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

For those who love God ‘blind faith’ was never a prerequisite, neither of a Jewish life nor of a Christian life.

Judaism tends to the position of na’aseh ve’nishma – doing in order to understand, blending faith and reason and giving neither the upper hand, but instead knowing that if we behave “as if” we believe, if we follow the way of mitzvot, then further understanding may come. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

From Scriptures we should come to understand there is no way of doing “as if” because God sees the heart and He does knows each of us. We can not hide anything from Him.

1 Samuel 16:7 The Scriptures 1998+ (7) But יהוה {Jehovah} said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for not as man sees, for man looks at the eyes, but יהוה {Jehovah} looks at the heart.”

Jeremiah 17:10 The Scriptures 1998+ (10) “I, יהוה {Jehovah}, search the heart, I try the kidneys, and give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.

Moses with the Two New Tables of Stone (illustration from the 1897 Bible Pictures and What They Teach Us by Charles Foster) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our hearts may not be removed from God and by our way of living we should show to others how God is in our heart. Our heart, our feelings but also how we act should always be pure, full of love for God and His commandments. When we are willing to give ourselves into God’s Hands He will bring us where He wants us to be.

Proverbs 21:1-3 The Scriptures 1998+ (1) The sovereign’s heart is as channels of water In the hand of יהוה {Jehovah}; He turns it wherever He wishes. (2) All a man’s ways are right in his own eyes, But יהוה {Jehovah} weighs the hearts. (3) To do righteousness and right-ruling Is more acceptable to יהוה {Jehovah} than a slaughtering.

Each day we have to work at ourself taking care we keep to the commandments of God.

Meanwhile we are impacting on ourselves and on our world in a positive way as we are directed to behaviour that may not be our first instinct – to support the poor and downtrodden, to value life, to respect the boundaries of others, to rein in our own power and desires so as not to trample over the lives of others. The list goes on. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

As tradition says again and again in different words, the same message: “the commandments were given only to refine God’s creatures…”(Midrash Tanchuma). They change us, they cause us to think about what we are doing and not to act out of immediate self interest, they shape our behaviour and ultimately they may help us to bring holiness into our world. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

Preceding

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

A Royal Rule given to followers of Christ

First man’s task still counting today

Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion

He who knows himself, is kind to others

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

Romans 4 and the Sacraments

Is Justification a process?

Letter to the Romans, chapter 3

Letter to the Romans, chapter 4

Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans

Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4

Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works

Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?

Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel

Witnessing because we love

Leading people astray!

Crisis man needed in this world

Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

Preaching by example

A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach

What Should I Preach ?

Additional reading

+++

The works we have to do according to James

“2 You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, 3 for you surely know that what is genuine in your faith produces the patient mind that endures; 4 but you must let your endurance come to its perfect product, so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped, without any defects.
5 But if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God who generously gives to everyone and never reproaches one with its lack, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without a doubt, for the man who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is whirled and swayed by the wind. 7 Such a man, indeed, 8 a person with two minds, unreliable in every step he takes, (1:7A) must not expect to get anything from the Lord.

9 Let the poor brother of lowly station rejoice in his exalted station as a Christian, 10 and the rich brother rejoice in his being on a level with the poor, because the rich will fade away like the flower of the grass.” (James 1:2-10 Williams)

“12 Blessed is the person who endures trial, for when he stands the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

13 No one must say, when he is tempted to do evil, “I have a temptation from God to do evil,” for God cannot be tempted to do evil, and He never tempts anyone to do so. 14 But anyone is tempted to do evil when he is allured by his own evil desire and enticed by a bait. 15 Then evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is completed, it brings forth death.” (James 1:12-15 Williams)

“19 You must understand this, my dearly loved brothers. Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry; 20 for a man’s anger does not produce the uprightness that God requires.
21 So strip yourselves of everything impure and all the evils prevailing around you, and in humble spirit welcome the message which when rooted in your hearts is able to save your souls.

22 Keep on obeying this message; do not merely listen to it, and so deceive yourselves. 23 Because if anyone merely listens to the message without obeying it, he is like a man who looks in a mirror at his own face, 24 for he looks and then goes off and at once forgets how he looked. 25 But the man who looks at the flawless law that makes men free, and keeps on looking, proving himself to be, not a forgetful hearer but an actual doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives himself, his religious worship is worthless. 27 A religious worship that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: To look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one’s own self unstained by the world.” (James 1:19-27 Williams)

“1 My brothers, stop trying to maintain your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious presence of God on earth, along with acts of partiality to certain ones. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the man who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “Sit here in this fine place,” and say to the poor man, “Stand up, or sit there on the floor at my feet,” 4 do you not make improper distinctions among yourselves and prove to be critics with evil motives?” (James 2:1-4 Williams)

“8 But if you really observe the law of the King in accordance with the Scripture, “You must love your neighbor as you do yourself,” you are doing right; 9 but if you show partiality, you are committing sin, because you are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10 For whoever obeys the whole law, except to slip in a single instance, is guilty of breaking it all.

11 For He who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you do commit murder, you are just the same as a lawbreaker.

12 You must continue talking and acting like people who are to be judged by the law that treats them as free. 13 For merciless judgment will be the portion of the merciless man; yet mercy will triumph over judgment.

14 My brothers, what good is there in a man’s saying that he has faith, if he has no good deeds to prove it? Such faith cannot save him, can it?

15 If some brother or sister is thinly clad and has no food for the day, 16 and one of you says to him, “Blessings on you, keep warm, eat until you have a plenty,” without giving him the things that are needed for the body, what good does it do?

17 So faith by itself, if it has no deeds to back it up, is dead. 18 But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have good deeds. Show me your faith without any good deeds, but I will show you mine by my good deeds.”

19 Do you believe in one God? Very well; the demons, too, believe that, and shudder. 20 But, O senseless man, are you willing to learn that faith without good deeds is worthless?

21 Was not our forefather Abraham shown to be upright by his good deeds, namely, by offering Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 You see that faith co-operated with his good deeds, and by his good deeds faith was made complete; 23 and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God’s friend.”

24 You see that a man is shown to be upright by his good deeds, and not merely by his faith.

25 Was not even Rahab the prostitute shown to be upright by her good deeds, namely, by entertaining the scouts and sending them off by a different road? 26 Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without good deeds is dead.” (James 2:8-26 Williams)

“13 Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts. 14 But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth. 15 This is not the kind of wisdom that comes down from above; no, it is earthly, human, demoniacal. 16 For wherever jealousy and rivalry exist, there will be confusion and all sorts of evil practices. 17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, free from doubts and insincerity. 18 The harvest of uprightness is grown from the seed of peace by those who are peacemakers.” (James 3:13-18 Williams)

“1 What causes wars and quarrels among you? Is it not your different desires which are ever at war within your bodies?
You desire things and cannot have them, and so you commit murder. 2 You covet things, but cannot acquire them, and so you quarrel and fight. You do not have them, because you do not ask for them. 3 You ask and fail to get them, because you ask with evil, selfish motives, to spend them on your pleasures.

4 You faithless wives! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wants to be a friend to the world puts himself down as an enemy to God. 5 Or, do you think that the Scripture means nothing when it says, “He jealously yearns for the Spirit that He causes to dwell in your hearts”? 6 But He gives a greater spiritual blessing. He says, “God opposes haughty people but blesses humble people.”

7 So then, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will fly from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Get your hands clean, you sinners. Get your hearts purified, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable, mourn, and weep aloud. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you high.

11 Stop talking against one another, brothers. Whoever is in the habit of talking against a brother or of criticizing his brother is criticizing and condemning the law. But if you are in the habit of criticizing the law, you are not a practicer but a critic of the law.
12 There is but one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who has the power to save and to destroy; then who are you that you presume to judge your brother?” (James 4:1-12 Williams)

“7 So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and the late rains.
8 You must be patient, too; you must put iron into your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is close it hand. 9 Stop muttering against one another, brothers, so as to keep from being judged yourselves.
Look! The Judge is standing at the very door. 10 As an example of ill-treatment and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:7-10 Williams)

“12 Above all, my brothers, stop swearing, either by heaven or by the earth, or by anything else. Let your “Yes” mean Yes, and your “No,” No, so as to keep from falling under condemnation.

13 Is any one of you suffering ill-treatment? He should keep on praying. Is anyone in a happy mood? He should keep on singing praise to God.

14 Is anyone sick among you? He should call in the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer that is offered in faith will save the sick man; the Lord will raise him to health, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

16 So practice confessing your sins to one another, and praying for one another, that you may be cured. An upright man’s prayer, when it keeps at work, is very powerful.” (James 5:12-16 Williams)

“19 My brothers, if any one of you has wandered away from the truth, and someone brings him back, 20 you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his evil ways will save the man’s soul from death, and cover up a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20 Williams)

Part of Dutch version / Gedeelte van de Nederlandstalige versie: De aanduiding door Paulus en Jacobus van de werken die wij horen te doen

Preceding articles

Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion

Whoopi Goldberg resident Bible-scholar on “the view”

In September Godfathers Politics commented on a lady who has a certain swing to

get away with her ignorance because her audience is often just as ignorant as she is {Godfatherpolitics: Whoopi Goldberg is the resident Bible-scholar on “the view”}

Whoopi Goldberg (the most recent winner) became the tenth winner, first winner to win two of their awards in the same year, and first African American winner in 2002. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whoopi Goldberg on Tuesday September 22nd ranted about Catholicism, the Pope and his visit to America.

Whoopi Goldberg, offering her thoughts on the faith, complained about Pope Francis discussing abortion: ‘Well, there’s nothing in the Book that says anything about abortion. Let’s make sure of that. The Ten Commandments are the Ten Commandments. There’s only ten.’” {Whoopi Goldberg is the resident Bible-scholar on “the view”}

10 Commandments for many people

Most people do think there are only Ten commandments (the 10 commandments / 10 words) but God has given mankind many more mitzva (plural of mitzvot/mitzvoth), Statutes given unto us or commandments. Also we should know that there are the mitzva of the One and Only True God of gods, but also the commandments of Christ Jesus. Both are given to us to help us fulfil the Wishes of God and to bring us on the right track to the entrance of the Kingdom of God.

When we look at Bible translations we are confronted with choices being made and the translaters hoping to find words people would understand in the right context. Some Bible translations substitute the word “commandments” for “words.” therefore Godfather politics says:

Whoopi can’t be blamed for this mistake since millions of people make it.

The Most Trustworthy All Powerful Master Creator Deity Adonai, Everlasting Elohim Hashem Divine Jehovah God, with Whom we have to build a good relationship, has spoken many words in the past. Those words are bundled in the Holy Scriptures, the book of books or Holy Bible, also known as the infallible and incorruptible comforting Word of God, full of Wisdom, that brings us the truth and can feed us when heard and that we have to accept, to be searched, to read, to study, to understand, to follow, able to bring us reconciliation, and which has to be proclaimed.

Decalogue

The Ambitious Italian American who adheres to his own personal code of honor Gary De Mar prefers people to use the more accurate word “Decalogue,” from the Greek words deka (ten) and logos (words).

The name “decalogue” is recorded from late Middle English, and comes via French and ecclesiastical Latin from Greek dekalogos (biblos) ‘(book of) the Ten Commandments’, from hoi deka logoi, literally ‘the ten sayings’ which in many translations became ‘the Ten Commandments’ . The decalogue brings a summary of divine law given by the God of Israel to Moses on Mt. Sinai. They describe what’s listed in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Even so, command “words” (debarim) from God are laws to be followed.

10 commandments -Vitrail_de_synagogue-Musée_alsacien_de_Strasbourg

The Decalogue or Ten Sayings of God on the 2 Stone tables of Moses – “Tables of the Law”, synagogue window, Alsace, late 19th century, Alsatian Museum of Strasbourg.

Those sayings of God or the wishes He Expressed have a paramount place in the ethical systems of Judaism, Christendom and Christianity, and Islam. Listed in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, the commandments are divided into duties toward God and toward one’s family and neighbours and society. Their normative status is indicated by their prescriptive and unconditional language. They function as general stipulations decreed by God as part of His covenant with the people of Israel. In both Exodus and Deuteronomy, the case law following the listing of the commandments is based on them and deduced from the principles contained in them. In Islamic tradition, Moses brings new revelation in the form of the commandments. In Christianity it is Jesus who brings a new revelation and offers mankind with the grace of God a Royal Commandment or Golden Rule in exchange for about 675 old laws, having the gentiles (non–Jewish), goy or goyim (people of the nations) or heathen who want to convert to the faith of Jesus making it easier to be part of that Christian community.

Being under the Law

Believers in God have to be under the Law following, obeying or observing the ordinances of Law of Moses or Mosaic Law, which has laws of deportment or conduct, ways of behaviour and customs, concerning food and ways of eating and law-keeping. This decalogue, or God’s laws is also known as Law of Moses and has been the base for many law-books.

The Bible, God’s inspired Word, should be the guide for all those people who believe in the Divine Creator God the Most Almighty.

When we do hear Whoopi Goldberg talking about the Bible and Christian faith see sees to have an idea which we do find by some more American television viewers and which is in big contrast with some other American views. Two ends which are contrasting like day and night.
Whoopi Goldberg, offering her thoughts on the faith in her show, complained about Pope Francis discussing abortion:

‘Well, there’s nothing in the Book that says anything about abortion. Let’s make sure of that. The Ten Commandments are the Ten Commandments. There’s only ten.’”

As shown above there are more than ten commandments written down in Scriptures and the ten words she is talking about are including a whole lot more than she seems to believe.

Women trump card

For Gary DeMar

The war on women trump card has been abortion. Any time a conservative begins to make political progress, Democrats and any number of establishment Republicans pull out the abortion deck and play the “exception” cards: rape, incest, and the life of the mother. {How Rand Paul Turned the Tables on the Abortion Debate }

Several things may not be explicitly mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, but can be found in-between the lines.as such many may think there is nothing about rape and abortion in the Bible.

It’s true that there is not specific law in the Bible that says,

“You shall not abort your child.”

You won’t find these laws either:
“You shall not drown your child. You shall not throw your child off a bridge. You shall not strangle your child. You shall not leave your child in a hot car. You shall not stab your child. You shall not poison your child.”

“You shall not murder covers”

all these situations and many more. {Whoopi Goldberg is the resident Bible-scholar on “the view”}

Living souls to be respected

From the Holy Scriptures we can come to know we do have to have respect for every living soul, this means every animal and every human being. A soul being the element with life in it., which belongs to the Almighty Creator and not to man. We may use the animals for food, but should not just kill them for fun. the same we should be careful with other human beings which we do not have the right to take their life. It is not up to man to judge about other human beings their life. This brings into discussion two important human beings, the ones who are not yet on earth and the ones who are living already on this earth. For the last group it is quit easy. Even when they murdered somebody it is not up to us to lower ourselves at the same level as them. So we may not kill those who even did atrocious things to others. The death penalty is totally against the Law of God. Strangely enough in the United States we have lots of Americans who cry more death-penalties should be carried out and that more people should land on the electric chair or should get a deadly injection, those same people call the doctors and girls or women who carry out an abortion a murderer. Some even do not mind to kill such doctors who have abortion clinics. (Weird, weird, weird!)

For the more difficult matter of respect to other living beings comes the unborn who is there because of rape, or who is dis-formed, or who brings the carrier in life danger and offers the only solution either to bring the child on earth and let the mother die or keep the mother alive but have the death foetus.

The Bible attributes self-consciousness to unborn babies, something that modern medicine has studied and acknowledged. Jacob and Esau “struggled together within” their mother’s womb (Genesis 25:22). The New Testament offers a similar glimpse into prenatal consciousness: “And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41). “Struggling” and “leaping” are the result of consciousness. Jacob and Esau fighting inside the womb is indicative of their continued fighting outside the womb. John leaps in reaction to Mary’s pregnancy. {Whoopi Goldberg is the resident Bible-scholar on “the view”}

Pastoral letters and justification

In 2014 in the United States of America for several Americans the newest low for Planned Parenthood is to use the Bible and religion to convince women that they are morally justified to kill their unborn babies.

The organization’s so-called “Pastoral Letter” begins with this outlandish claim:

“Many people wrongly assume that all religious leaders disapprove of abortion. The truth is that abortion is not even mentioned in the Scriptures.” {Planned Parenthood Uses Bible to Support Abortion}

For many evangelicals and pentecostal Christian believers it may be very simple, but they forget that life is not just that simple. Many religious leaders disapprove of abortion, but others also dare to point out reasons why it could be better to have an abortion. but

It’s not a valid argument to say that because some do that killing an unborn baby is a morally acceptable choice. {Planned Parenthood Uses Bible to Support Abortion}

De Mar is wrong

to suspect that most if not all the religious leaders Planned Parenthood claims do not “disapprove of abortion” have a very low opinion of the authority of the Bible. {Planned Parenthood Uses Bible to Support Abortion}

Several of those religious and political leaders might have a much higher opinion of the authority of the Bible and some even might believe the many words for what they say whilst lots of the anti-abortionist leagues do have their own agenda and do keep to a lot of unbiblical doctrines.

Sixth commandment

Though many people might forget that the Sixth Commandment also covers unborn babies. Unborn babies are viewed as persons. everything which receives the breath of the Divine Creator is what becomes a ‘living soul’. A soul is not something what exists next to a person, but is the living person him or herself. As soon as there has been a connection which has created a beginning of a new human being, there is a new life.

We may not forget that it will never be so easy as many pretend to take away yourself the life from what moves within the own female body. We also have to remember that no Hebrew woman in the old times would ever have thought of killing her unborn baby. To be barren was one of the worst things for a woman to endure (Genesis 17:15-16; 25:21; 30:1; 1 Samuel 1:2-10; Psalms 113:9; 127:3-5; Luke 1:7; 23:29; Galatians 4:27; Hebrew 11:11). To kill an “inheritance from Jehovah God” would have been unthinkable.

But then people should also consider

when a being or something from nature becomes a human being and an inheritance from God.

Products of conception

Big question in the whole matter is also

when does a product of conception becomes a human being?

De Mar may point out

Some commentators claim that in Exodus 21:22 killing a “foetus” is nothing more than a property crime rather than the killing of a human being. This is absurd. Their operating premise is that an unborn baby is not defined as a person.

when he says that the Bible teaches otherwise he does overlook that in several passages he mentions in several articles he wrote about this subject he always refers to ‘children’ who came out of the womb of the mother or who were already long borns and as such were effectively to be called ‘children’.
He writes

The original Hebrew reads: “And if men struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that her children [yeled] come out. . . .” Notice that the text uses the word “children,” not “products of conception.” {Whoopi Goldberg is the resident Bible-scholar on “the view”} + {Planned Parenthood Uses Bible to Support Abortion}

He recognises:

Notice that the text uses the word “children,” not “products of conception.” The Hebrew word for “children” in this verse is used in other contexts to designate a child already born. For example, in Exodus 2:6 we read: “When Pharaoh’s daughter opened [the basket], she saw the child [yeled], and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children [yeled].’” {Planned Parenthood Uses Bible to Support Abortion}

That child from the Hebrews (Moses) was already delivered some time earlier.

We must be honest, nowhere is there written ‘child’ for the foetus. Only when the foetus is fully grown is being spoken about the child that comes out of the woman.

The bible also speaks about giving birth prematurely, which in english bible translations is often translated by “miscarriage.” The Holman Christian Standard Bible translates:

“When men get in a fight and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born [prematurely] but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman’s husband demands from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment”

de Mar writes further:

There are two Hebrew words that fit the circumstances of miscarriage or premature birth: “There shall be no one miscarrying [shakal] or barren in your land” (Ex. 23:26; also Hosea 9:14). The Hebrew word for “miscarriage” was available to Moses since it appears just two chapters later.

Another example is found in the book of Job: “Or like a miscarriage [nefel] which is discarded, I would not be” (Job 3:16). Meredith G. Kline offers a helpful summary of the passage:

“This law found in Exodus 21:22–25 turns out to be perhaps the most decisive positive evidence in scripture that the fetus is to be regarded as a living person…. No matter whether one interprets the first or second penalty to have reference to a miscarriage, there is no difference in the treatments according to the fetus and the woman. Either way the fetus is regarded as a living person, so that to be criminally responsible for the destruction of the fetus is to forfeit one’s life…. The fetus, at any stage of development, is, in the eyes of this law, a living being, for life (nephesh) is attributed to it…. Consistently in the relevant data of Scripture a continuum of identity is evident between the fetus and the person subsequently born and Exodus 21:22–25 makes it clear that this prenatal human being is to be regarded as a separate and distinct human life.”1

Umberto Cassuto, also known as Moshe David Cassuto (1883–1951), was a Jewish rabbi and biblical scholar born in Florence, Italy. In his commentary on Exodus, he presents an accurate translation of the passage based on the nuances of the Hebrew:

“When men strive together and they hurt unintentionally a woman with child, and her children come forth but no mischief happens — that is, the woman and the children do not die — the one who hurts her shall surely be punished by a fine. But if any mischief happens, that is, if the woman dies or the children, then you shall give life for life.”2

The King James Version takes a different translation approach, but it is consistent with the text that “children” are “coming out.” The KJV reads,

“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine” (Ex. 21:22).

The use of the word “fruit” is a descriptive euphemism for a born child in the Old Testament (Gen. 30:2) and the New Testament (Luke 1:42).

There is no getting around the fact that the Bible opposes killing unborn children, for that’s what they’re called. How can an organization like Planned Parenthood that is in the unborn baby killing business be trusted with commentary on what the Bible says on the subject?

Meredith G. Kline, “Lex Talionis and the Human Fetus,” The Simon Greenleaf Law Review, 5 (1985–1986), 75, 83, 88–89. This article originally appeared in Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (September 1977). Also see H. Wayne House, “Miscarriage or Premature Birth: Additional Thoughts on Exodus 21:22-25,” Westminster Theological Journal, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Fall 1978), 108–123.
Umberto Cassuto, Commentary on the Book of Exodus (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, The Hebrew University, 1967), 275. {Planned Parenthood Uses Bible to Support Abortion}

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Salvation and Righteousness

Often Christians do think they are saved for ever because they call themselves reborn and got themselves baptised in one or the other Christian denomination. Most often those who think they are saved for ever do belong to a denomination who honour three gods and do not mind bowing down in front of graven images of their god or gods.

Real Christians, meaning followers of Christ, should follow the teachings of the master teacher rabbi Jeshua from Nazareth (Jesus Christ) who prayed and praised only One God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob Who was also the God of the first disciples of Jesus Christ, namely the Adonai Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

Jesus never wanted to do his own will and he asked his followers also not to do their own will but the Will of God. Jesus offered himself totally for the cause for God and ran the race, showing the world he was a true lover of God, keeping to the commandments of the Only One God.

God cannot be tempted but Jesus was more than once. Though he did not fall in the trap, so many people fall into. He always kept to the Law of God, not doing his own will but trying to fulfil the Wishes of his Most High God. Being aware of what his Father wants from man, Jesus tried to explain what we have to do and how we have to prepare ourselves to be able to enter the Kingdom of God.

Though many are mistaken and think they do not have to do anything now they have found Jesus. They think once baptised for ever whitewashed and saved for ever. Nothing so. If we are not careful we lose the possibility of entering the Kingdom of God. Jesus gave many parables to illustrate this. Lots of Christians do seem to forget or not to understand those illustrations.

The Bible warns us that faith without works is dead. (James 2:26) Christian faith should be solidly build and provides us with the means to try to stay in the right path. But every day we do have to work at ourselves. Everyday we should keep the self-discipline, fighting against temptation and evil.
Every moment we have to try not to sin and in case we do something wrong we shall need to repent, otherwise we shall not find that promised salvation.

It is true that any liar, thief, child molester, fornicator, rapist, murderer can receive salvation. To every human being it is given freely. But! A great But, if we do not live up to this salvation we shall not earn it or loose it. Those who think because they are reborn, they can walk freely, are mistaken and could miss the boat.

If we are not citizens of another world, but want to stay of this world we missed the Bible message and shall miss the gift of Grace.

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Additional reading:

Words to inspire and to give wisdom

“Unnoticed”

We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price”

Atonement and the race been bought

Running the battle

Life is like a ten-speed bike.

Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word

Wishing to do the will of God

Every athlete exercises self control

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No one is saved by the law. Salvation is by faith through Grace. But the Grace of God is not a license to sin (Galatians 5:13; Romans 6:1-3), but rather an opportunity to please God through faith, (Hebrews 11:6). Righteousness is obtained without the law, (Romans 3:21-22).

Now, there is righteousness by the law and righteousness by faith. We are encouraged to seek the righteousness which is by faith, because as James said, if you obey the whole law and yet offend in one, you’re guilty of all, which means you’re no longer righteous, (James 2:10). So Paul in writing to the Galatians said, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain“, (Galatians 2:21). How clearer do people want the Scriptures to be?

The Spirit of God is the One who empowers us to do…

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